Saul Nava Convicted of Murder in Torture Case

Saul C. Nava, 24, was convicted of nine felonies, including first-degree murder, for torturing and killing his girlfriend, Alisen Takacs-Escobar, on Christmas Eve 2021 in Thousand Oaks, California. After days of abuse, Nava called 911, but first responders found Takacs-Escobar dead with extensive injuries, including bruises and degrading tattoos on her chest. Evidence found at the scene included torture instruments and videos on Nava's phone showing his indifference to the victim's suffering. Meanwhile, Michael Forrest Thornton, a condemned inmate who had tortured and killed 16-year-old Michelle Curran in 2001, died at a California prison hospice from a terminal illness. Thornton had been sentenced to death alongside his accomplice, Janeen Marie Snyder, for heinous crimes against young girls, with Curran being their last known victim. Both cases highlight the severe violence against women and the long-lasting impacts of domestic abuse.